Crossing the Mason-Dixon: Vegan Eats in Richmond, VA

For how many times I’ve been in Virginia, I have never blog reported on vegan eats! Well, here I am… exhausted and amazed by what is available here for a vegan. We had our first vegan stop in downtown Richmond at a spot only open 7-3, Monday through Friday. Down a unsuspecting courtyard, in the lower level of a towering office building is Citizen, a popular sandwich spot for local lunching 9-5-ers. It is a hidden little gem with an amazing vegan option…

The outstanding Seared Plantain Torta : layers of sweet plantains with a warm smear of refried black beans, fresh cilantro, house-made tomatillo salsa, and sweet-chili dipping sauce inside oiled and pressed bread. I got this with a side of fruit. There were also BBQ tofu spring rolls as vegan option number two. 

This sandwich ruled. Especially after 7 hours of driving with no breakfast.

With time to kill before checking in, we headed to nab a vegan option in the hip Carytown section of Richmond… at Carytown Cupcakes. 

They offer weekly themed cupcake flavors, one of which is always vegan (and one of which is always gluten-free), as well as their signature flavors. This week was Cookie Flavors. 

We got the two vegan options they had and headed on our way. The classic vanilla (amazing) and the Mexican Chocolate (which I thought was too hot). Both were great vegan cupcakes, however. I’m really digging on Richmond so far.

Next, a stop at the wonderful Ellwood Thompson’s, a principled grocer with a TON of vegan goodies for me to drool over. 

So to follow is a bunch of stuff I was amazed in finding. Richmond is super vegan-friendly! Huge vegan cinnamon rolls

Or how about an 8-pack of vegan cinnamon rolls. (or those Sweet & Sara’s up there?)

Um, peach and berry vegan danishes, a huge score!

Tons of fresh-baked vegan cookies. this was just a sampling.

Full-sized vegan pies! What?! (or them Hail Merry mini-pies above are great too)

Kombucha on tap.

And my vegan danish in its glistening glory. It became my dinner. And that was all right with me. I would have liked to have caught this danish fresh, to feel the flaky layers. This wrapped wonder had the moisture of the cream and fruit altering its texture. We’ll have to try back tomorrow!